This is a very light eye cream that is minimally hydrating but can be an OK option for slightly dry skin. On balance, though, it’s a perfect example of why you don’t need a special product for the eye area. Not only do most of the good ingredients this contains also used in Roth’s facial moisturizers, but this contains plenty of fragrant and other ingredients that should not be used around the eyes due to the risk of irritation (irritation that can make wrinkles, puffiness, and dark circles worse, not better). Some who have tried this commented on how it improved their dark circles a bit, and it will—but only because it contains mica, a shiny mineral pigment that helps reflect light away from shadowed, darker areas. Mica shows up in thousands of products; you don’t need to buy an eye serum like this to gain its benefit (although shine itself isn’t skin care, it’s a cosmetic effect).

Ultimately, despite some beneficial ingredients, this eye serum is a mixed bag. Many of the plant extracts (one is a type of bacteria) are little more than fragrance with no established benefit for skin, and the amount of alcohol is also cause for concern, because alcohol is pro-aging due to the free-radical damage and dryness it causes. This serum also contains a large range of preservatives, including some that are known to be sensitizing. What are those doing in a product meant to be applied so close to the eye?

As for the dragon’s blood referred to in the claims, it’s extracted from a fruit that is part of the history of Chinese medicine. It has long been used as a coloring agent for pottery and ceramics. Are you sensing that none of this has to do with dark circles, puffiness, or wrinkles? You’re right, it doesn’t! In fact, we couldn’t come up with a single viable study or other piece of information proving dragon’s blood resin has any benefit for skin, whether around the eyes or elsewhere. It seems to be a gimmicky, novel ingredient but that’s about it. And of course, there’s no association between dragon’s blood and laser treatments!

One more comment: the “laser-free” portion of this eye serum’s name is just silly. “Laser-free” is supposed to imply laser treatments a dermatologist performs, but really it means that this product is free of lasers. Well, duh! Come on, Peter Thomas Roth, have a little more respect for consumers. Anything that’s not a laser is, by definition, laser-free!

Claims

Powerful Laser-Free Resurfacing Eye Serum helps skin appear resurfaced, regenerated, renewed and repaired. Helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, puffiness and dark circles upon first application. Helps dramatically address the appearance of noticeable signs of aging as a result of time, UV and environmental damage with potent 43% Dragon’s Blood Eye Complex.

Strengths: Provides complete ingredient lists on Web site; most products are fragrance-free; very good AHA products; wide selection of water-soluble cleansers and scrubs; some excellent sunscreens, benzoyl peroxide products, and many antioxidant-rich formulas.

Weaknesses: Expensive; mostly lackluster toners; mostly boring to potentially irritating masks; no BHA products that do not include at least one needless irritant; jar packaging.

Unique in the world of spa and salon specialty lines, Peter Thomas Roth is a large but straightforward line with mostly uncomplicated formulations that, for the most part, are quite good and state-of-the-art. Unlike many product lines, most of the acne, AHA, BHA, sunscreen, and moisturizing products contain what they should to be effective and helpful for skin.

A novel aspect of this line is that there are few (if any) nonsense ingredients. Roth products conspicuously lack the exotic, potentially irritating, sensitizing, and often unnecessary plant extracts and the irritating, fragrant plant oils that show up in most pricey skin-care lines, especially spa lines. Many of these products don't have fragrance, and they lack the long lists of ingredients that are often unnecessarily complicated. Even more impressive are the well-formulated cleansers, sunscreens, AHA products, and skin lighteners. The moisturizers have improved somewhat, and most are now packaged so that the light- and air-sensitive ingredients remain stable. In fact, Roth's packaging deserves special mention because it is exceptionally utilitarian and gender-friendly. No pretty pink bottles, sexy curved jars, or bejeweled caps—all of which reinforce the clinical nature of Peter Thomas Roth. Overall, this line should be admired for its simplicity and, for the most part, for its well-thought-out formulations.

After all that glowing praise there are a few embarrassing missteps to avoid, such as products that contain hydrogen peroxide, which can cause free-radical damage and hurt skin; irritating acne products that contain sulfur; unimpressive masks (odd for a spa-oriented line); and a bumper crop of products claiming to affect expression lines and wrinkles in a manner similar to cosmetic corrective procedures.

The Beautypedia Research Team is dedicated to helping you find the absolute best products for your skin, using research-based criteria to review beauty products from an honest, balanced perspective. Each member of the team was personally trained by Paula Begoun herself.

I purchased the laser free resurfacing kit at macys at $68. So far 3 weeks later, it has done absolutely nothing. I have combination skin that is getting dry as I reach 40 and a few dark spots have appeared on my cheeks. Nothing major so I wanted a product that would moisturize and give some radiance back. The eye serum is total a waste of time and money for my puffy eyes. Absolutely nothing laser like about this range from Peter Thomas Roth. Buy Clinque and get better value for your $